Horn.



STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KUROJI SATO, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

HORN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KURoJI SA'ro, a sub ject of the Emperor of Japan, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horns, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to mechanical horns, and more particularly to such apparatus used in connection with self propelled conveyances, such as automobiles, to give warning of their approach to an object.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a horn which is mechanically operated without the aid of wind, as in wind instruments; to enable the apparatus to produce a loud and distinct tone which will attract attention above the ordinary trafiic noises, the duration of such tone being under control of the operator, and, by the disposition and arrangement of parts, to provide means whereby the propelling mechanism of the conveyance may be utilized to actuate the sound producing element, thus avoiding the use of electric batteri'es, generators, or similar means, the efficiency of which is doubtful.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, which show a preferred form of apparatus embodying my invention.

In said drawings, Figure l is a fragmentary view of an automobile chassis showing the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the apparatus, parts of the chassis supporting said apparatus being shown in connection therewith. Fig. 8 is a detailed view in cen-' tral vertical section through a portion of the bell member of the horn proper, parts being shown in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on lines 4l4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the lines 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A suitable support, such as the longitudinal members of the chassis of an automobile 6, may support the apparatus, for practical purposes, it being desirable that the apparatus be mounted on structure rigid with the support of the operator. As a suitable means for operating the horn, as here- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 17, 1912.

Patented Aug. 19,1913.

Serial No. 709,995.

inafter described, an engine 7 is employed, preferably the propelling mechanism of the automobile, the said engine being provided with a fly wheel 8.

The horn proper, designated generally by 9, comprises a bell portion 10; a casing 11 disposed at the smaller end of said bell portion; a member 12, preferably drum shaped, revoluble in said casing 11 and supported by a bearing 13, said member 12 being provided with a plurality of abutments 14E, preferably in the form of lugs, and, a plurality of vibratable members 15, within casing 11 and disposed in the path of movement of abutments 14-, to be vibrated upon rotation of member 12. The members 15 are preferably metallic springs or plates, similar to those used in a music box, and which produce a tone of the desired pitch upon being vibrated. The abutments let may be arranged in' any desired manner, either ali'ned in rows longitudinally of the member 12, as shown in the drawing, or staggered.

The horn proper is preferably supported by a base 16, formed integral with bearing 13* and mounted upon the frame member 6. I also prefer to carry revoluble member 12, upon a shaft 17, to which it is keyed, said shaft extending through bearing 13 and carrying one element 18 of a clutch device designated generally by 19.

The mechanism for imparting movement to member 12 is designated generally by 20, and incorporates said clutch device 19 to transmit motion of the latter to the former when such is desired. Mechanism 20 is suitably mounted upon a standard 21, carrying bearings 22 spaced apart from each other. Said bearings 22 carry a revoluble collar 23 to which is keyed a pulley 24 intermediate said bearings, and whereby said sleeve is prevented from moving axially. The cen tral opening 25 of collar 23 is such as to receive a movable stem 26, permitting axial movement of the stem, but compelling the same to rotate with the collar when movement is imparted to the latter through pulley 24. To accomplish this, the said opening 25 may be square to receive a squared portion 27 of the stem 26, or any other suitable keying means may be utilized.

Standard 21 may be mounted upon support 6 and disposed with the axis of stem 26 alined to the axis of shaft 17, of member 12, and said stem, at its end type and comprises, a plunger 32 carried by a sleeve 33; a bell crank lever 34 carried by a bracket 35; the plunger 32 imparting movement to the lever by pin and slot engagement 36, with one arm thereof, the other arm having a pin 37 Working in a circumferentially extending slot 38 formed in the stem 26. By depressing the plunger 32, the bell crank is actuated to move stem 26 axially against action of spring 29 to bring clutch members 18 and 28 into engagement. The sleeve 23, as disclosed, is adapted to receive rotation from a pulley 39 mounted concentric with fly wheel 8; a belt 40, connecting pulleys 39 and 24, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The operation of the device is as follows: Movement of the stem 26 may be imparted to the drum member 12, when clutch members 18 and 28 are brought into engagement. Such imparted movement of member 12, causes the abutments 14, carried thereby, to vibrate members 15 causing a rapid series of tones which merge into one another so as to form a continuous sound, duration of which 5 is controlled by the period of time the clutch 40 members remain engaged. The sound issuing from bell member 10 has a clear and distinct tone.

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; but,

I claim 1. In a mechanical horn apparatus, the combination of a horn including a rotatable member and means vibratable upon movement of said member to produce a sound, a standard having two bearings spaced apart from each other, a collar having a polygonal central opening rotatable in the said bearings of said standard, a pulley keyed to said collar and interposed between the said bearings of said standard, a stem having a portion in said opening in said collar constructed to be rotated therewith but axially movable with respect thereto, a clutch member carried by said rotatable member of said horn, a companion clutch member carried by the said stem and facing said first mentioned clutch member, an expansion spring abutting against said collar at the face opposite from said second mentioned clutch member and encircling said stem, an abutment for the other end of said spring carried by the stem, and means for imparting axial movement of said stem against action of said spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a mechanical horn apparatus, the combination of a horn including a rotatable member and means vibratable upon movement of said member to produce a sound, a standard provided with bearings, a collar having a polygonal central opening, rotatable in the said bearings of said standard, but not axially movablewith respect thereto, means for rotating said collar, a stem having a port-ion in said opening in said collar constructed to be rotated therewith but axially movable with respect thereto, said stem being axially alined with the said rotatable member of said horn, a clutch member carried concentric with said rotatable member of said horn, a companion clutch member carried by said stem and facing said first mentioned clutch member, and mechanism for moving said stem in an axial direction to clutch or unclutch said clutch members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a mechanical horn apparatus, the combination of a horn including a revoluble member and means vibratable upon movement of said member to produce a sound, a standard provided with bearings, a collar, having a polygonal central opening, rotatable in the said bearings of said standard, but axially movable with respect thereto,means forrotating said col1ar,astem having a portion in said opening in said collar constructed to be rotated therewith, but axially movable with respect thereto, a clutch member carried by said revoluble member of said horn, a companion clutch member carried by said stem and facing said first mentioned clutch member, and mechanism for moving said stem in an axial direction to clutch or unclutch the clutch members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a mechanical horn apparatus, the combination of a horn including a revoluble member and a means vibratable upon movement of said member to produce a sound, a standard provided with bearings, a collar, having a polygonal central opening rotatable in the said bearings of said standard but axially movable with respect thereto, means for rotating said collar, a stem having a portion in said opening in said collar and constructed to be rotated therewith, but axially movable with respect thereto, a clutch member carried concentric with said revoluble member of said horn, a companion clutch member carried by said stem, and facing said first mentioned clutch member, and mechanism for moving said stem in an axial direction to clutch or unclutch said clutch members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a mechanical horn apparatus, the combination of a horn including a revoluble member and means vibratable upon movement of said member to produce a sound, a standard provided with bearings, a collar, having a polygonal central opening, rotatable in said bearings of said standard, but not axially movable with respect thereto, means for rotating said collar, a stem having a portion in said opening in said collar constructed to be rotated therewith but axially movable With respect thereto, a clutch member carried by said revoluble member of said horn, a companion clutch member carried by the stem and faoing said first mentioned clutch member, and mechanism for moving said stem in an axial direction to clutch or unolutch said clutch members, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

KUROJI SATO.

Witnesses F. P. SoI-rRoEDER, M. M. ESCHERICH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

